Juliette
by adelaidie
Summary: The new transfer student from Beauxbatons is looking to put her tragic past behind her and have a fresh at Hogwarts... But a whole new set of problems presents itself as she becomes involved with new boys. Rated for strong sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

Juliette Rousseau sat alone in her compartment on the Hogwarts Express, staring out the window at the unfamiliar English countryside. The craggy, rocky hills dotted with towering trees were so different from the rolling lavender fields that had surrounded her old school, Beauxbatons.

An elderly witch poked her head into Juliette's compartment.

"Anything to eat, dear?" she asked.

"No, thank you," Juliette replied wistfully, although she was a little bit hungry. Right now, she was absorbed in her thoughts, no time for snacks.

The witch shut the compartment door and moved on down the aisle. Juliette glanced at her barn owl, Sophie, who was sleeping soundly in her cage, despite the rhythmic swaying and jerking of the train. Juliette wished that she could sleep, too, but she was too anxious.

No one knew her here; she was completely and utterly alone. She had not one friend, not one confidante… not even an acquaintance, unless you counted the snack witch. Tears sprang to Juliette's eyes when she thought about her best friend, Manon, arriving at Beauxbatons without her.

Over the last four years, they had been involved in many dangerous and thrilling adventures at their school; they had solved mysteries together, they had saved lives, they had wreaked their fair share of havoc. And now…

Juliette anticipated a dull, uneventful year at her new school. Without Manon as her partner in crime, Juliette would never have the courage to be adventurous or daring.

Her quiet state of contemplation was disrupted suddenly by two boys thundering down the aisle, throwing open the door to Juliette's compartment, then slamming it shut behind them. The pair stood with their backs to her, peering down the corridor in anticipation. Juliette gave a quiet cough from her seat by the window, and they both spun around, eyes wide.

"Oh!" One boy exclaimed, his eyebrows raising in surprise above his large hazel eyes. He elbowed the other, who appeared to be his identical twin, prompting him to speak.

"We're very sorry," the second boy said.

"We didn't see you there!" continued the first.

"Please forgive us," finished the second, stuck out his lower lip, and batted his eyelashes in an angelic display of child-like innocence. Juliette laughed.

"Of course," she said, "But who are you?"

"I'm Fred Weasley," said the first boy, holding out his hand to her.

"And I'm George Weasley!" said the second, pushing his brother out of the way and offering his hand.

"Lovely to meet you," giggled Juliette, as George shook her hand a little too enthusiastically.

Fred set Sophie's owl cage on the floor and sat down opposite Juliette.

"I don't think we've seen you before," he said.

"But you're very… mature… for a first-year," said George. He narrowed his eyes at her while grinning mischeivously, taking a seat next to his twin.

"I'm not a first year," Juliette replied, "I'm a fifth year. I've just moved to England."

"Ahh," said Fred, casting a knowing glance at his brother.

"We knew that you hadn't been here before," explained George.

"Because we make it a point to know everyone at Hogwarts," continued Fred.

"And we would have remembered meeting you before, surely!" exclaimed George.

"I'm Juliette," she said, still laughing at their roundabout flattery.

Each of the twins snatched one of her hands from her lap, kissed them simultaneously, and said brightly, "Enchanted!"

"So, are you from Beauxbatons, then?" asked George.

"How did you guess?" Juliette giggled.

"We had some of your former classmates at our school last year for the Triwizard Tourney," Fred replied.

"And one of them, in particular," sighed George, "was quite memorable…" Both boys gazed longingly out of the window.

Juliette laughed. "You'll be talking about Fleur, no doubt," she said with a grin.

Both twins straightened up and looked at her sheepishly. Fred blushed; George ran a hand through his tomato-red hair.

"Did she say something about us?" they asked in unison.

"Oh, no," Juliette said, "It's just that, Fleur was our champion, and everyone knows that she can be quite… fetching."

Fred and George relaxed.

Suddenly, the door was flung open once more, to reveal two teachers in long black robes standing formidably in the corridor. The woman, who looked quite old and frighteningly austere, motioned to Fred and George with her finger. She was tight-lipped and her back was rigid, but she had a flash of kindness in her eyes when she saw Juliette.

Fred and George sighed and reluctantly rose from their seats. The man, who had a hooked nose, greasy black hair, and beady dark eyes, took each twin by an ear and led them away wordlessly. The woman lingered a moment by Juliette's doorway.

"You're the one from Beauxbatons, correct?" she stated, but before Juliette had a chance to answer, the woman continued, "I am Professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor house. When we get off the train, you will come with me, so that we can sort you before everyone comes into the Great Hall for the sorting of the first-years."

"But," Juliette began, wondering how she would find the professor when she got off the train, but McGonagall had already left. Juliette was alone again, and her whole encounter with Fred and George seemed like an absurd daydream.

The rest of her train ride was spent looking out the window, watching the terrain change from sparse hills to forested mountains, and watching the sky fade from brilliant blue to rich, opaque navy. The train stopped with a jolt, throwing Juliette out of her seat and tipping Sophie's cage over.

Juliette quickly righted her owl and gathered her things, ready to venture out into the crowd that was already filling the corridor and try to find Professor McGonagall. This wasn't necessary, however, because at that moment, the professor opened the door to Juliette's compartment and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Leave your things on the train, they will be brought inside while we are eating," she said in her no-nonsense tone. Juliette dropped her trunk immediately.

McGonagall led her through the crowded corridor and off of the train, walking so briskly that Juliette could hardly keep up. She was so intent on watching the professor's feet striding quickly in front of her that she didn't notice the immense stone castle looming ahead of them.

When they reached the door, Juliette looked up, startled. Her jaw dropped momentarily, but McGonagall didn't hesitate and kept up her brisk pace, leading the way through the massive doors, through a monumental marble-floored entry hall, and into a small, dimly lit room that seemed to Juliette to be nothing more than a storage closet.

In the middle of the room, a droopy blue wizard's hat sat on a wooden stool. The hat was ragged and torn, the silver stars that decorated it were faded and dull, and there was an extensive rip between the main part of the hat and its brim. McGonagall picked up the hat and held it close to her face, and although her back was turned, Juliette could have sworn that she heard the professor whisper something to the hat in a very low voice.

McGonagall turned to Juliette.

"This is the sorting hat," she said hastily, putting a hand on Juliette's shoulder and forcing her onto the stool, "its magic is very old and quite powerful. When I place it onto your head, it will be able to read your deepest thoughts, so that it may place you into the house that best suits you. Alright, then," she said, and without warning, she gingerly placed the hat on Juliette's head and took a step backwards.

_Quite adventurous, I see…_ the hat whispered. Juliette sat up straighter. She had not been told anything about the hat being able to speak to her.

_Very brave, and what a penchant for mischief!_Juliette opened her mouth to respond to the hat, but it interrupted her.

_You don't have to speak, dear,_ it said, _only you can hear what I am saying, and I can know what you are going to say. It is my job to analyze you. You are bright, loyal, and courageous. I have the perfect house for you…_**Gryffindor!**

The last word came out as a shout, shaking the frail wooden shelves lining the room. McGonagall winced, then grinned kindly at Juliette and helped her down from the stool.

"I will be your head of house, then, dear," she said as she replaced the hat on the stool, "And may I be the first to say, welcome to Gryffindor." Her words were said with such pride that Juliette momentarily forgot her nervousness and felt proud to have gained the professor's acceptance. But as McGonagall picked up the stool and led her out of the tiny room and once again into the entry, Juliette frowned with worry and hesitated to follow.

She was tempted to ask the professor to let her have a second try at the sorting hat, so that she could tell it that she wouldn't be at all courageous or brave this year, without her friends. If that was what they were expecting from her in her new house, then they would be quite disappointed, Juliette thought.

But Juliette decided to keep quiet, and hurried to catch up with McGonagall, who was hurrying toward another grand set of doors, stool and hat in hand. Juliette opened them for her, and was ushered inside.

She stood paralyzed with awe in one of the most beautiful rooms she had ever seen. The walls were gilded with gold, the tables were vast and shining, the candles were all flickering cheerily and casting warm light onto the hundreds of faces that were smiling, laughing, and talking. And the ceiling… Juliette had never seen anything like it. It was, at that moment, cloudless and dotted with trillions of tiny stars like faraway Christmas lights.

"You'll sit at the far right table," McGonagall whispered into Juliette's ear, then hurried up to the front of the hall where she set the stool and sorting hat at the front of the room.

Juliette took a seat at the end of the far right table, the one with a giant red and gold banner hanging above it showing a majestic lion. She was staring at this banner when she felt a pair of hands take hold of her shoulders.

"Juliette!"

"From the train!"

She turned to see Fred and George beaming at her.

"C'mon!" said George, motioning to the middle portion of the table.

"Sit with us!" said Fred excitedly, as Juliette rose from her seat.

From the front of the hall, a voice boomed, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

Juliette quickly sat down between Fred and George and turned to face the speaker, a tall, willowy-looking old man with a very long white beard and half-moon spectacles perched on the bridge of his nose.

"I hope that we will have a most wonderful year together," the man continued, but Fred leaned in and whispered in Juliette's ear, "That's Dumbledore, the headmaster."

George then whispered to her, "And this is our brother, Ron," and motioned to the redheaded boy across the table from her, who nodded his head and blushed in greeting.

Fred continued, "And that's Harry Potter, next to him, but I expect you know all about him already…"

Juliette looked at Fred curiously and shook her head.

"You mean," said George, "you haven't heard of Harry Potter?"

"The Boy Who Lived?" Fred prompted.

"The scar?" George leaned in further, disbelieving of Juliette's ignorance.

"Oh," said Juliette nonchalantly, "I was just a baby when that happened. I've heard the story, about the curse and the scar and all that; sure."

"Harry, you hear that?" Fred chuckled, "This is one of the only girls you'll ever meet who doesn't want a peek at your scar!"

Harry Potter laughed. Juliette thought that she saw a look of relief on his face, but he also seemed disappointed, somehow.

A girl with long brown hair threw an angry look over her shoulder.

"Will you all shut up? I'm trying to listen!" she said in a furious whisper.

"And that, dear Juliette, is Hermione," said George, throwing his arm over Juliette's shoulder.

"Don't worry," said Fred, putting his arm around her, too, "We'll protect you."

"Hermione?" Juliette said in a stage whisper, and the girl turned around.

"Er, watch out, there," said Ron worriedly, seeing the angry look on Hermione's face at being interrupted while listening to the headmaster. Her frown faded, however, when she saw Juliette.

"Juliette!" she exclaimed quietly.

"You two know each other?" Harry asked, confused. Everyone sitting around them looked from Juliette to Hermione and back again.

"Our families used to go skiing together in the Alps," explained Juliette, who was ecstatic to see a familiar face.

"How are you?" Hermione squealed, but then glanced back at the front of the Great Hall, and her face became serious again. "We'll talk after the sorting, okay?"

Dumbledore had now taken his seat at the staff table, and McGonagall had come in, leading a line of trembling, tiny first-years.

"Bit of a stickler for the rules, Hermione is," said Ron, leaning across the table.

Juliette watched the first-years as they were sorted into the four houses. As the last one, Emily Zaffalon, sat down at the Hufflepuff table, Dumbledore rose again and brandished his wand at the crowd.

"And now," he bellowed, "we EAT!"

With a flick of his wrist, platters and bowls full of food appeared before the students; the old tables creaked with the weight of the massive feast. Juliette, who suddenly realized that she was starving, loaded her plate with roast beef, mashed potatoes, ears of corn, caramelized pears, cobbler… and dug in with gusto.

After almost a full half-hour of food-filled near-silence, groans and burps could be heard throughout the hall. Juliette was stuffed, and just as she thought that she couldn't bear to look at her food anymore, it vanished.

"Ahhh," Harry sighed, "That was excellent."

Juliette nodded her assent. Harry caught her eye and gave her a tiny smile. Juliette's stomach gave a little leap, despite the fact that it was stuffed to the brim. That boy sure was attractive.

Hermione had finished chewing her last bite of raspberry tart and turned eagerly to Juliette.

"So, how are you, Juliette? Why are you at Hogwarts this year?"

Juliette answered quietly. "I'm living with my aunt and uncle now, in Sussex."

"Just wanted to change things up a bit, eh?" George said from her left.

"Or maybe those snoots at Beauxbatons were getting to be too much for her," Fred suggested from her right.

Juliette shook her head, and bit down on the inside of her cheek. Hermione cast fierce glances at Fred and George, and they stopped laughing. It was clear to Hermione that Juliette was not there "just to change things up a bit".

"My parents were in an accident," Juliette said, forcing the words out.

"Oh, Juliette," Hermione murmured sadly.

Fred and George shook their heads, leaned behind her and slapped each other hard on the cheeks. Juliette smiled.

"It's alright," she said, "You didn't know. Anyway, it is good to change things, I guess."

"What kind of accident?" Harry asked suddenly from across the table.

Hermione frowned at him, and Fred and George put their arms protectively over Juliette's shoulders.

"He doesn't mean to be rude," Fred told her, casting a pointed glance at Harry.

"He doesn't have parents either, so he may be a bit callous," said George.

"A car crash," Juliette said to Harry, looking directly into his eyes. "They were in Prague. A tour bus hit their car and it exploded."

"The car exploded?" said Ron, open-mouthed. Juliette nodded. Her eyes were still locked with Harry's – what a unique shade of green, she thought.

"Wow," said Fred and George in unison.

"I'm sorry," said Hermione.

"At least your aunt and uncle aren't stupid git Muggles who keep you locked up all summer," said Harry, breaking their eye contact and looking down at the table bitterly.

"Ignore him," said Ron.

"He's still a bit angry that we spent the summer at the Burrow, er, the Weasley's house, and he couldn't go," explained Hermione.

"Actually," said Juliette, with a hint of fiery sarcasm in her voice, "My aunt and uncle are stupid git Muggles. The only reason that I'm able to come here is because it was in my parent's will that they had schooling set up for me in England should anything happen to them. Otherwise, I'm sure I'd be stuck at the local day-school with my horrid cousin Addie."

Harry looked up sharply. Juliette thought she saw a small smile play upon his lips, but then he looked somber as ever, and she thought that maybe she had imagined it. Did Harry Potter enjoy her getting feisty with him? Or maybe he was happy to hear that she was stuck in the same miserable situation as him.

George chuckled. "Nice move, there, mate," he said sarcastically to Harry.

"Oh, the irony," squealed Fred, and they both burst into laughter.

"You two should really get along great!"

"Yeah, two orphans kept hostage by evil muggle aunts and uncles!"

"With horrible muggle cousins!"

"SHUT UP, YOU TWO!" screeched Hermione. The rest of the Gryffindor table stared at them.

"Sorry," Hermione said, quieter, "But you really are being very insensitive."

"Forgive us?" Fred and George asked, looking from Harry to Juliette and back, using the same puppy-dog face that George had used on the train.

Both nodded, smiling. You really couldn't be mad at those two. The twins rose from the table.

"We are going to retire to the common room, would any of you lovely people like to join us?"

Ron, Hermione, and Harry all got up and followed them out of the hall. Juliette got up, too, but stayed behind a bit, not wanting to force herself into their circle. Hermione was walking with Ron, whispering about something. The twins were leading the pack, prancing jauntily down the hallway, waving to all of their friends. Harry was walking slowly, hands in his pockets, brooding.

He looked back over his shoulder and stopped for a minute, waiting for Juliette to catch up, then fell into step with her.

"Sorry for being such a twit back there," he said, still staring at the floor.

"It's alright, now we're even."

"Even?" Harry asked, looking up. Juliette's stomach gave another twist as his emerald eyes met hers.

"I must have insulted you when I said that I hadn't heard of you. It's apparent that you're pretty famous around here," Juliette said, gesturing to all of the first years that were standing in clumps in the hallway, staring at Harry, whispering, pointing.

"I wasn't insulted," explained Harry, "I was happy! It's not very often that I meet someone who hasn't heard all of the rumors and stuff that they've been saying about me the past few years. Everyone thinks I'm some ego-obsessed lunatic, before they even meet me." Harry ended his speech with a hint of rage in his voice that almost scared Juliette.

"Well, I don't think that. You've got a clean slate, as far as I'm concerned," she said gently.

"Thanks," Harry said, looking at her with a genuine smile. His eyes sparkled. "I've just had a terrible summer, that's all."

"Oh, I can sympathize. My aunt and uncle had me weeding the garden and dusting the silver while Addie laid on the couch watching television all day. She never had to lift a finger. I was her maid!"

Harry looked at her in disbelief. "Your cousin and my cousin should get together sometime, then," he laughed, "she sounds like Dudley's soulmate!"

They were then standing in front of a portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress.

"Marshmallow magpies," said Harry assertively, and the portrait swung away from the wall on hinges, revealing a large circular hole in the wall. Harry climbed through, then waited on the other side for Juliette.

Beyond the hole was Juliette's new favorite room in castle, she quickly decided. It was red brick, with a towering vaulted ceiling and an extremely large fireplace at one end. One wall was covered with giant arched windows, the rest with tapestries and paintings. The room was filled with dark wood tables, high-backed leather armchairs, and soft velvet couches. Groups of kids were gathered around the fireplace, talking and laughing as they had been in the hall.

Harry led Juliette over to the fireplace, where room was quickly made on one of the couches for them to sit down. Fred and George introduced her to the crowd, and she was accepted without question – no delving into her unfortunate circumstances this time, thankfully.

After a while, the conversation turned to reminiscing about all of Harry's adventures and the name that he's made for all Gryffindors; Harry began squirming on the couch next to Juliette. She could tell that he didn't want to talk about his fame, but she was entranced. The stories that they were telling reminded her uncannily of the adventures that she and Manon had at Beauxbatons.

But she quickly became bored – it was hard to stay interested in a conversation worshipping a hero that she didn't know – and leaned over to Harry, whispering, "Where will I sleep tonight?"

Harry grinned at her, glad to have an excuse to leave the circle. They sneaked out unnoticed just as Fred and George brought up "the time that Harry had all of the bones in his arm removed and had to grow them back".

"Sounds awful," Juliette laughed as they approached a large staircase on the right side of the room. Harry shrugged.

"Your rooms are up there," he said, motioning up the stairs.

"Can we go up?" Juliette asked, confused.

"You can, sure. But if any boy tries to climb the girls' stairs, it turns into a slide and he'll slip right back down."

Juliette laughed. "Well then, I guess I'll just stay down here!"

Harry and Juliette found two unoccupied armchairs separate from the group around the fireplace, which was already beginning to thin out. She felt her heart beat a little faster. Harry had obviously singled her out as someone that he wanted to spend time with. Juliette wasn't certain what her feelings for him were, but it was comforting to have found someone who liked her, friend or… otherwise.

They both stared out of the windows, across the mirror-like surface of the Great Lake. The stars reflected on the surface, creating the illusion of a second sky, a hole ripped right through the earth to the other side.

Harry and Juliette sat and talked for hours, long after everyone else had gone up to their dormitories. Their conversation gradually grew deeper – from light jesting about their muggle relatives, to their opinions on Harry's cursed struggle with Voldemort, to their shared feelings of grief, abandonment, helplessness. Finally, Juliette gave a little shiver and curled up in her chair, eyelids at half-mast.

"You should go to bed," Harry said softly, getting up from his chair.

"I'm not tired," Juliette said weakly.

"Well, at least let's move to the fireplace. It's cold here by the windows."

Harry offered his hand to help her out of her chair, and led her to the overstuffed velvet couch directly facing the fireplace, which now only contained the glowing embers of the once-roaring fire. Juliette sat down close to Harry and smiled at him. She felt an electric spark in her leg as the sides of their thighs rested against each other.

"You know, Harry, we really do have an incredible amount of things in common when you think about it," she said, laying her head gently on his shoulder. She felt the muscles in Harry's chest tense, then relax.

"I mean, besides all the Voldemort stuff. Although, that's pretty big. At Beauxbatons, we were just dealing with dark wizards, not a dark 'Lord'."

Harry laughed. Juliette was deliriously sleepy. She felt her eyelids falling shut, and struggled to keep them open. Harry gingerly took her hand in his.

"You're still cold," he said, and got up to add a new log to the fire.

"You know, maybe I won't be a coward this year after all," Juliette mused aloud, "I wasn't expecting to find a friend like you. Maybe I'll have adventures after all…"

"Oh, believe me," Harry laughed, "If you're friends with me, you'll have adventures. Plenty of them."

He settled back into his spot next to Juliette and took her hand again. She laced her fingers through his. It seemed surprisingly comfortable, and… familiar. Natural.

"You know," he said, "Even though you haven't had to deal with the Voldemort stuff, I think you get it. Most people just can't fathom how someone could fight a dark wizard. They take that stuff for granted; dark wizards are going to be evil, no matter what. But really, I think we can stop them."

"Yes," Juliette said, stifling a yawn. "I agree."

"You're the only person I've met who understands me, Juliette. And not even I understand me, so that's a feat."

Juliette looked up at Harry and smiled. She did understand him, she thought. He was brave and determined, and a little embarrassed, but he felt like he had been saddled with this mission, and there was nothing that he could do about it.

As these thoughts were running through her head, Harry had leaned in toward her. She felt his breath suddenly on her mouth, and slowly brought her lips toward his.

As their mouths met, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and neck. Harry's strong hands found her waist, and embraced her tightly. They held each other this way for a long time, only moving their mouths against one another.

Juliette's hands moved over Harry's chest, over his shoulders, up his neck, through his thick black hair. He kissed her more deeply. He tenderly touched her breasts, cupping them softly, tentatively. She moved her hands to Harry's legs and crept them stealthily under his robes, to the button of his pants.

He didn't realize what she was doing until she already had the zipper down. He kissed her neck, her chin, her collarbone, her ears; he showered her with kisses as they stood, and she tugged at his pants legs. They finally came free, and Harry's pants fell to the floor. At this, Harry slipped his hands under Juliette's shirt and pulled it over her head effortlessly, then struggled with the clasp on her bra until it finally came undone.

The cold air on her breasts made Juliette shiver, so Harry drew her closer to him and kissed her mouth once more. Juliette took off her pants herself, not wanting Harry to struggle with that, too. She then pulled off her underwear, but suddenly became conscious of just how exposed she was in such a public space. Harry must have thought the same thing, because he pulled away from their kiss just long enough to grab a heavy fur throw from the back of a nearby armchair.

Harry threw the fur over the two of them as they sat back down on the couch, then slid off his boxers. Juliette moved one leg over Harry so that she was straddling him, then kissed him with more passion than ever before. She wasn't sure where all this was coming from – nerves, or true attraction, or maybe just curiosity mixed with raging teenaged hormones.

Harry reached down and teased her already-hard clit. Juliette couldn't take it anymore. She took hold of Harry's cock and slid it into her, and gasped softly as it entered. She moved slowly, rhythmically on top of him, but Harry was becoming frantic. His hands were flying across her bare skin like twitching feathers; his kisses were careless and sloppy.

Harry wrapped his arms around Juliette and held her close to him as he rolled over on top of her. He let his feet fall to the floor, and put one hand on the back of the couch, one grasping her back. He thrust into her, pace quickening, with a force that she had never known. His hand ventured down to her clit again, where his thumb rolled across it in circles. Juliette was moaning and sighing as Harry's cock thrust in and out of her. His rhythm was growing faster, faster, until he couldn't go any longer and gave one final push, letting his seed spurt deep into her. Juliette moaned loudly, throwing her head back in ecstasy.

After a few paralyzed seconds, they fell away from each other. Harry collapsed on the couch under the fur throw that was now much too hot. Wordlessly, they each got dressed in front of the fire.

"Um. Goodnight, Juliette," Harry said as they stared at each other in front of the fireplace. She moved toward him and gave him one last goodnight kiss.

"Goodnight, Harry."


	2. Chapter 2

Juliette woke up the next morning nestled under heavy layers of quilts and down comforters, staring at an unfamiliar red velvet canopy. She stretched lazily under the covers, recalling her tremendously eventful first night at Hogwarts.

"Juliette?" a voice asked tentatively from across the room.

Juliette sat up in bed, blinking at the golden morning light pouring in from the dormitory windows.

"Good morning, Hermione," she said with a sleepy smile. Her friend was sitting cross-legged on her bed opposite Juliette's, with a book in her lap, as usual.

"Good morning," Hermione said, "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, thanks," Juliette replied as she slid out from beneath her covers, wincing a little when her bare feet hit the cold stone floor.

"I – er – I didn't hear you come to bed last night," Hermione said, standing up and approaching Juliette's bed.

"I was up late, I guess," Juliette admitted, "Harry and I were talking and we lost track of time."

"Oh," Hermione said, narrowing her eyes a little. The corners of her mouth turned upwards. She definitely knows something, mused Juliette, but how?

"Well, we should get down to breakfast." Hermione went back to her own bed to pack up her book bag, while Juliette began to dress.

She and Hermione walked to breakfast together, chatting casually about what classes and teachers they hoped to have. Inside the Great Hall, they found their friends at the Gryffindor table, already comparing class schedules.

"I have your schedule, Juliette!" Ron grinned at her as they sat down. "Fred and George were trying to bewitch it so that they would have you in all of their classes, but Harry and I rescued it!"

Harry gave Juliette a feeble grin from his seat beside Ron. She laughed and thanked them, then looked down at her schedule. Transfiguration, Potions, History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Divination, Herbology, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures. They had some free time before their first class, and Juliette decided that she needed to talk to Harry.

She had thought a lot about what to say to him. She needed to make it clear that while she thought that he was fantastic, she really just wanted to be friends – she didn't think that she was quite ready for a serious relationship.

But Harry had already finished his toast and jam when Juliette and Hermione had entered, and left wordlessly as Juliette perused her new schedule. She was startled to see him gone when she looked up, and downed the rest of her breakfast tea, eager to find him.

"Where are you rushing off to?" George asked as Juliette rose from the table too quickly, knocking over a half-full glass of orange juice beside her.

"I just wanted to explore a bit before class," she said, casting a quick cleaning spell and turning to leave.

"Wait!" Fred called, "Do you need tour guides?"

"We're extremely familiar with the castle," George added.

Juliette laughed. "No thank you," she replied with a smile, "Maybe another time."

And with that, Juliette rushed out of the Great Hall, headed toward the Gryffindor dormitories.

She was walking fast, her mind fixated on what she needed to say to Harry, when she ran head-on into a boy walking in the opposite direction.

"Oh!" Juliette said, falling to the floor, "I'm so sorry!"

The boy glared down at her with icy blue eyes that made Juliette shiver. He offered her his hand, which was as cold as his eyes, and helped her up.

"Really," Juliette said, startled, "I'm very sorry. I'm so clumsy."

Surprisingly, the boy smiled at her, like a stone statue coming to life. He ran a hand through his sleek white-blond hair.

"No, it was my fault, too. I was distracted," he said kindly. He offered her his hand again.

"I'm Draco Malfoy," he said.

"Juliette Rousseau," she replied, shaking his hand.

"Where were you sprinting to, anyway, Juliette?" Draco asked with a teasing grin.

"My – my dormitory," she stuttered. She really hadn't known where she would find Harry, she was just hoping to catch up to him.

"And which dormitory would that be?" Draco said, faint frown lines beginning to line his porcelain brow as he contemplated the direction in which she had been headed.

"Gryffindor," Juliette told him. Draco sneered and laughed haughtily. His face went from strikingly handsome to ugly in an instant.

"Shame," he replied, nose in the air, "You look like a Slytherin."

"I'm new, actually," she said, "I just got sorted last night."

"Well, you should be in my house. You're a complete waste in Gryffindor."

"And why is that?" Juliette asked, growing impatient.

"Because you're stunning," he said, grinning again, "and Gryffindors always grow up to be boring things, like teachers." Draco had apparently turned the charm back on – his upper lip no longer curled in disgust, his eyebrows not pinched together – he was handsome again. Juliette marveled at how much his attitude changed the whole look of his face.

Although she was flattered, Juliette remained suspicious of Draco Malfoy's cunning taunts. She decided, however, that it would be much better for her to stay on his good side – he gave the distinct impression of a person who was easily angered.

Juliette smiled at Draco. "Why, thank you," she said, "But I really do have to go to my dormitory."

"I'll escort you, then. Just to make sure no other rogue boys slam into you and knock you to the ground."

They made their way to the portrait of the fat lady, to which Juliette whispered the password. The portrait swung forward, revealing the empty common room.

"May I come in?" Draco said gallantly, helping Juliette through the hole in the wall.

"Er – sure. I just have to go up and… change my shirt. I stained this one at breakfast," she lied, rushing up the stairs to her bed. In the few minutes that she had been away, her crumpled sheets had been changed, her pillow fluffed, and her bed-curtains tied back. She sat on the freshly made bed for a minute, wondering what to do about Draco Malfoy.

She could sense that he was the type of person that she would have hated at Beauxbatons, but here… Hogwarts was a whole different story. Their house rivalries were legendary. She couldn't decide whether it would be beneficial or frowned-upon to be in good graces with all of the houses. Or if it was even possible.

Downstairs, Draco Malfoy had settled himself on the couch in front of the fireplace, the very couch on which Juliette and Harry had made love the night before.

"How do you like the common room?" Juliette asked, sitting down beside him. Draco gave a derisive laugh.

"Oh, it's… cozy, I suppose. Gryffindors aren't big on luxury, obviously."

Juliette looked around at the lavish, overstuffed chairs and couches, the huge fireplace, the hundreds of paintings – and wondered what the Slytherin common room must be like.

Draco swung his legs up onto the couch, laying them across Juliette's lap.

"I like you, Juliette Rousseau, even if you are a Gryffindor. I think you were mis-sorted."

It was Juliette's turn to laugh derisively. "I doubt it, Draco Malfoy. That hat sure seemed to know what it was doing."

"Oh, what does and old hat know! I'm telling you, ask for a transfer to Slytherin."

"I'm going to give Gryffindor a chance," Juliette said firmly, "but I'll be sure and let you know if it doesn't work out." She thought that Draco would leave for sure after she averred her loyalty (if only temporary) to her house, but he showed no signs of annoyance.

"Alright then," he said, leaning back onto the arm of the couch and clasping his hands behind his head. "Tell me about yourself."

Juliette was taken aback and didn't know what to say. She shrugged.

"Where do you live? What's your family like? What do you like? Who do you hate?" Draco prompted her.

"I live in Sussex, with my Aunt Dorothy, Uncle Jack, and cousin Addie."

"Is she as pretty as you?" Draco asked, smiling.

"Er – I suppose. But she's absolutely horrible. I don't know, you might like her."

"What does she look like? And why horrible?"

"Well, she's got long black hair which she's a little too fond of. She never stops brushing it and smothering it in all sorts of creams and sprays. And she's got eyes sort of like mine, but brown instead of blue. She's much taller than I am. And she's horrible because she's obsessed with herself, and only likes people who are also obsessed with her."

Draco laughed. "Okay, what are your pet peeves?"

"Hmm…" Juliette mused, "bad grammar, sniffling, and people who can't take a joke."

"Good ones," Draco said, and closed his eyes. "Let's play truth or dare."

"But there's just two of us," Juliette said slowly.

"I know that," Draco said calmly. "Truth or dare, Juliette?"

"Er – truth."

"Do you think I'm attractive?" Draco asked, eyes still closed.

"Well, yes. I guess so. You're attractive." Draco's eyes opened. He grinned wolfishly at her.

"My turn!" Juliette said quickly. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Draco's grin widened.

"Yes. Of course," he replied, and shifted his weight to move closer to her.

Juliette looked up at the clock on the mantle. They only had a few minutes before class, and she still hadn't talked to Harry.

"We've got to go," she said, jumping up from the couch, "Er - Fun game, thanks for staying with me. See you later." With that, she rushed out of the common room toward the library.

Halfway there, she saw Harry on the stairs ahead of her.

"Harry!" Juliette called. He turned around, facing her with a worried and confused look.

"Oh, hey, Juliette…" he said, looking at his feet.

"Harry, what's wrong? I've been looking for you since breakfast," she fibbed. She _meant_to look for him, she just got distracted.

"I just didn't want to make things awkward," Harry said, blushing.

"It doesn't have to be awkward. We can be friends."

Harry nodded in agreement. "I just – I'm sorry about last night. It was my fault."

Juliette laughed, and gently placed a hand on Harry's muscular forearm. "Don't be sorry, Harry. The blame is on both of us."

Harry smiled, his green eyes sparkling. "You're right."

"Let's go to Transfiguration." Juliette said as they descended the stairs together.

In the classroom, Juliette found a seat beside Hermione at the table in front of Harry and Ron. Draco Malfoy swaggered in with a girl on his arm, and sat down at the table to Juliette's left. He reclined in his chair, then turned to Juliette and winked. The pug-nosed blonde beside him noticed, as did Hermione, and both of them snarled.

"Did Malfoy just wink at you, Juliette?" Hermione whispered urgently into Juliette's ear.

Juliette shrugged. At Draco's table, the blonde was whispering and shaking her head at him.

"Just a piece of friendly advice," Hermione said gently, placing her hand on Juliette's shoulder, "Don't get involved with any Slytherin, but especially Malfoy. He's very bad news. The youngest Death Eater ever, not to mention Harry's arch-nemesis."

Juliette frowned. She remembered Harry telling her about Voldemort's Death Eaters the night before, but he had never talked about Draco. She wondered if he was really as bad as Hermione was making him out to be.

McGonagall strode into the classroom, interrupting Juliette's musings.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts," McGonagall said briskly as she pulled a box of paintbrushes from a drawer in her desk, "Today we will be transfiguring these paintbrushes into bouquets of flowers."

The school year had started. Juliette was lucky in Transfiguration, they had learned this particular spell the year before at Beauxbatons. She was fine in Charms, too, which was her personal specialty, but got butterflies in her stomach as they left lunch for Defense Against the Dark Arts.

The classroom was nearly empty when Juliette arrived with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but the teacher was already writing on the chalkboard.

"Professor Lupin?" Hermione said softly, freezing in the doorway.

The teacher turned around and beamed at the group. He looked gentle and kind, if a little tired, and held his arms out as Harry, Ron, and Hermione ran to him and greeted him enthusiastically.

"You came back!" Harry said, obviously thrilled.

"Tonks convinced me," said Professor Lupin, quietly, as more students began taking their seats, "And, besides, I had to keep an eye on my favorite mischief makers!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione laughed as they took seats directly in front of the chalkboard. Hermione motioned Juliette over to the seat beside her and introduced her to Professor Lupin.

"He taught this class the year before last; he's our favorite teacher," Hermione informed her.

"Don't let the other teachers hear you say that, now," Lupin said with a smile.

For the next hour, the students worked on un-hexing rats and petrifying lizards. Juliette lost her fear of being behind in classes; every time that she didn't understand something Hermione was there to explain it to her.

They saw Draco again in Potions that afternoon. As in Transfiguration, he made a point of sitting as close to Juliette as possible instead of his usual seat in the back of the dungeon, and winking at her. This time, however, Harry and Ron were paying more attention. They whispered together throughout class, heads bowed over their cauldrons.

As they left the dungeon, Harry pulled Juliette over to the side of the hallway. His hand felt hot on her elbow.

"What is it, Harry?" Juliette asked. Harry had a barely noticeable sheen of sweat across his forehead, and was wringing his hands.

"Was – was the reason that you told me that you just wanted to be friends because you like _Malfoy_?" Harry blurted, so fast that Juliette almost didn't understand.

"Harry!" she scolded, rolling her eyes, "I only just met Draco Malfoy! I want to be friends with you because I think you're nice, and I don't want to jump into anything serious. I don't know why Draco winks at me, but Hermione's already warned me about him, so you can skip any lecture you had planned."

Harry looked at her apologetically. "I jumped to conclusions."

Juliette grazed her hand comfortingly over his arm, once again noticing the hard muscle just beneath his skin, as if he didn't have a single ounce of fat. She caught his eye. Harry grasped her hand and squeezed. Her breathing quickened. Her hand continued its path up Harry's arm as if it had a mind of its own.

They made their way to the common room, and then to Harry's dormitory. Juliette was surprised, but happy, to find that the staircase to the boy's rooms didn't turn into a slide as the girls' did.

The six beds in Harry's room were all empty. Harry and Juliette threw off their robes, and leapt into one of the giant four-posters. They scrambled to remove their clothes, not exchanging a word. Juliette pressed her hands against Harry's hard, broad chest until they left white, sweaty imprints.

"So much for just friends, huh?" Harry mumbled into Juliette's neck as he kissed his way down to her breasts.

Juliette moaned in response. She couldn't think; her brain was clouded with lust. Harry rolled on top of her and thrust himself into her, making the bedsprings creak. Juliette squeezed her eyes shut and focused all of her energy on the rhythmic writhing of lovemaking.

She heard Harry's breaths become short and heavy, like someone struggling in a fight. His thrusts were quicker, deeper, harder. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. His black hair was swinging from his forehead, his emerald eyes shining and unfocused, mouth hanging slightly open. She ran her hands over his shoulders, his neck, his chest. She knew that he didn't notice.

Harry finally came, a hot stream of liquid shooting into her. He rolled over heavily, taking Juliette's hand in his. He was breathing like he had just been saved from drowning, but the grin on his face was a mile wide.

"Friends with benefits," he said, "that's what we can be. You've got me hooked, Juliette."

She smiled tightly. The feeling of losing her self-control wasn't pleasant, and the pang of regret afterward was sharp. This wasn't how she had wanted things to go here. At Beauxbatons, she had a steady boyfriend. Her healthy appetite for sex had always been sated.

When they broke up, just before her parent's accident, Juliette had turned to the many other willing boys at school to fill her void. Seduction had become second nature to her, but she had vowed to leave that life behind in France. Hogwarts had meant a fresh start. But now, Juliette realized, she was back to her old tricks.


	3. Chapter 3

Juliette woke in the middle of the night to Harry snoring softly in her ear. She gave him a gentle shove, trying to roll him over, but he wouldn't budge. Rolling so that her back was against his stomach, she instinctively pressed her butt against him, snuggling in. Harry groaned in his sleep, and ran his hand up her thigh to her stomach. Juliette smiled to herself as she felt Harry's cock begin to harden and grow against her.

But a moment later, Harry was snoring again. Juliette sighed. She arched her back and rocked her butt against him again – but Harry was quickly going soft. He seemed to be in a deep sleep, to her frustration. She removed his hand from her stomach and sat up.

They had frantically pulled the curtains around his bed when they'd heard someone coming up the dormitory stairs just minutes after their simultaneous orgasms. Whoever it was had come and gone quickly, but Harry and Juliette had spent the whole evening in his bed, talking, kissing, exploring each other's bodies.

Juliette knew that it must have raised some suspicion among their friends – she and Harry both skipping dinner, she nowhere to be found, Harry's bed curtains drawn. She expected that if Hermione hadn't known about this relationship before, she sure did now. And she was nearly positive that Ron knew, how else would you explain him completely ignoring his best friend's absence at dinner and not peeking into his bed to check on him?

She hesitated for a moment before pushing the curtain aside. Truthfully, she had no idea what time it was, only that things seemed quiet and dark. She would hate to cause any embarrassment for Harry if one of his roommates saw her sneaking out in the middle of the night. But, more importantly, she wanted to be in her proper bed when Hermione woke up, or she was sure to get an earful.

Padding quietly across the stone floor, Juliette opened the door silently, one inch at a time, and slipped down the stairs to the common room. She had thrown her class robes on over her underwear, but hadn't bothered zipping up, and carried the rest of her clothes and her shoes in her hands. She had intended to go straight up to her bed, but found herself reluctant. She wasn't tired, and this was the perfect time to explore the castle out from under the watchful eyes of her peers.

The clock in the common room chimed softly – three times. Three in the morning. Juliette stood in front of the big window and stared at the lake. It was a cloudy night, with hardly any light from the moon or stars. She pushed a giant brass handle and cracked open the window, hoping for a cool breeze to freshen the stuffy common room. But the air was still, thick, and warm. She started to walk away, but paused for a moment, examining her own reflection in the glass.

Her dark brown hair had a golden tint to it from the summer sun. Her eyes seemed extra blue in the dim lamplight. Juliette ran her hands under her robes, across her stomach and breasts. She had a good body, and was decently pretty. She shouldn't be too surprised that she was already involved in a passionate relationship after two days at school. And yet, she was surprised. Surprised that Harry Potter, the Chosen One, had chosen her. A tiny voice spoke from the back of her mind - and Draco Malfoy, too!

Juliette shook her head. She didn't know how long that boy would continue to wink at her, but she hoped it wouldn't cause any more conflicts with her friends. They obviously hated him, and she knew that she should trust their judgment. But she couldn't rid herself of the nagging feeling that she should get to know that boy better…

Without wasting any more time on introspection, Juliette zipped up her robes, slipped on her shoes, and headed for the portrait hole. Once on the other side, she felt paralyzed by the sheer amount of space she had to explore. It reminded her of her first year at Beauxbatons – she had been reluctant to break the curfew rules at first, but within a few weeks, insomnia and 11-year-old curiosity had gotten the best of her, and she spent almost every night tiptoeing down a new corridor.

Hogwarts was even more interesting to explore than her old school had been. Every inch of the walls was covered in portraits, plaques, trophy cases, and statues. She paused to read the inscriptions of the ones that caught her eye. You could wander these halls for years and still not see everything, Juliette thought to herself as she snuck silently down a staircase. She tried to keep heading down, toward the center of the castle; she knew that it would be dangerous to get too close to the teachers' quarters, which were somewhere near the Great Hall, but she was afraid that if she went anywhere but the hall, she might not know the way back. The routes she took to and from her classes were maze-like, and the moving staircases threw her off terribly. The wide stairs and corridors that they took to and from meals tended to stay put.

When she spied the giant doorway to the Great Hall, Juliette made a left turn and headed down a narrow staircase. This is it, she decided, I'll see what's down this way and then I'll head back to my room. This corridor seemed different from the others. There were no doors, and no carpet runner down the middle like most of the others. She read a few of the names under portraits, but didn't recognize them. The hall dead-ended with one huge painting – a young and very handsome man, sitting on what could only be a throne. He was sleeping soundly, and his bright silver crown looked like it was about to slip right off of his head.

"Are you looking for me?" A low voice drawled from behind Juliette. She jumped, clamped a hand over her mouth, then took a couple of gasping breaths to get her heart to slow down.

Draco stepped out of a shadow into the light of a smoldering torch on the wall.

"Sorry to scare you. Are you going to be okay?"

She nodded, still trying to calm her racing heart. Draco touched her arm, then must have thought better of it, and dropped his hand to his side again.

"So were you looking for me?" he repeated. He wasn't whispering… Juliette didn't know if it was because he knew he was safe from trouble, or if he was just that bold.

"No, I was just exploring. How would I have had any idea where to find you?"

"Well, you came straight to the Slytherin dormitory, so I'd say that's a pretty good guess," Draco retorted with a smile. "Exploring? Aren't you afraid of Filch and his nasty cat?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Juliette replied, crossing her arms.

Draco chuckled. "Mrs. Norris won't come down this hall. She hates the prince's cat with a passion." He gestured toward the painting of the young prince, who had a sleek black cat curled at his feet.

"Would you like to see our common room?" Draco asked, starting toward the portrait.

Juliette hesitated. The Slytherin common room? In the wee hours of the morning? With a guy who had already admitted that he was trying to seduce her? It all sounded like a very bad idea, and she knew that Hermione, Ron, and Harry would absolutely keel over if they found out. But that fact made the prospect of following him even more exciting. Draco had deftly opened the portrait hole without waking the prince, and was now holding it open for her. She stepped over the low dividing wall, into Slytherin.

It was incredible how different this room was from her own common room. There were no windows at all, but shining white marble walls lined with orderly rows of paintings. None of Gryffindor's cozy, overstuffed furniture, either. Theirs was all leather and silk, sleek modern sofas and regal wingbacked chairs. Draco placed a hand on the small of Juliette's back and steered her toward their fireplace.

"Class robes, huh?" Draco raised an eyebrow at Juliette's billowing black attire.

"They're black, good for sneaking around," she explained as she took a seat on the sofa. She definitely did not feel like explaining that she'd just come from Harry Potter's bed, where she had been all afternoon, without a chance to change.

"And what do you have on [u]under[/u] those robes?" Draco asked with a smirk, as he settled himself onto the opposite end of the sofa, legs outstretched. He was wearing loose black pants and a dark grey t-shirt. Juliette's formal robes looked ridiculous in comparison.

"Not much," she admitted. Draco smiled, but didn't move a muscle. For being so forward, he didn't seem threatening or predatory at all. She continued, "So why are you up at this hour?"

Draco's expression grew serious – almost annoyed. "Can't sleep. I can never fucking sleep."

She nodded. She knew the problem all too well. Since her parents' accident, Juliette hadn't been able to sleep more than a few hours at a time. Except in after sex, she thought wryly, I always sleep well after sex.

Draco narrowed his eyes at her. "What are you thinking about?"

"I… I was thinking that the only time I fall asleep easily… is after having sex." Juliette kept a brave face. She couldn't think of a lie quickly enough. Draco chuckled.

"Are you suggesting that we help cure one another's insomnia, Juliette?" he asked with a hopeful grin.

"No!" she said quickly, shaking her head, "Just an observation."

They were quiet for a moment. Then Draco sat up.

"I'm going to be honest with you. I intend to steal you from Potter."

"Steal me?"

"Yes. You're too good for him."

"Thank you, but 'stealing me' would imply that I somehow belong to Harry, which I certainly do not. It's insulting that you think you'd have to steal me from him rather than letting me make my own decisions about the two of you." Juliette stood, and turned to leave. Draco jumped up from the sofa and blocked her.

"I apologize. I worded that badly. I meant that I am going to pursue you with all of my might, and I am confident that, in the end, you'll leave Potter of your own accord."

"You did word it very badly. But I think you were telling the truth the first time. You think of me as some pawn you can win to hurt Harry. This isn't about me, it's about your feud."

Draco stepped toward her. Juliette thought about backing up to keep her distance from him, but she held her ground. His silvery grey eyes were boring into her.

"No, this is definitely about you. Have no doubt about that. The fact that you're going to break Potter's heart is just a happy coincidence."

He took another step toward her and tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. She folded her arms. The energy buzzing between them was electric with anger, desire, and everything in between. She couldn't tell if she wanted to slap him or kiss him. Draco's face grew closer to hers. She could feel his breath on her lips and could practically hear his heart beating.

"I want to kiss you," he said in a whisper, "But not when you're fresh from Potter's bed. Slow things down with him, Juliette, and give me a chance. Can't you feel this?"

Draco took her hand, and she did feel a tingling, warm sensation – she half expected her hand to be glowing when she looked down. Her eyes were wide when she looked back up at him. His pupils were dilated so that his eyes seemed almost completely black.

"Yes," she whispered. Draco tightened his grip on her hand. She could tell it was taking all of his willpower not to lean down and kiss her. Truth be told, Juliette was enjoying watching him struggle. How had he known she was fresh from Harry's bed? And if he liked her that much, why did it matter? He'd insisted that she wasn't a pawn between them. So he should think of her as her own person, separate from her relations with Harry, right?

"It's a matter of pride," he said, answering her silent question. "I want to rip those fucking robes off of you so badly. But I'm trying to be the bigger man here. I'm sure that Potter was groping at you the instant that you were alone together. I'm doing things differently. You'll see."

Juliette felt her cheeks burning. She'd never been this close to someone without making a move. There was a fluttering in her stomach. She stood on tiptoe and gently, slowly kissed Draco's cheek. Her lips dragged across his skin – he was burning up.

"You're making it very hard for me to keep my word, Juliette." His voice was gravelly, strained. "You should go back to your tower and get some sleep." But he didn't loosen his hold on her hand.

"Sleep now? Ha."

Draco looked nearly morose as Juliette drew back from his cheek to face him again.

"Please, go. It's nearly dawn. I won't be sleeping either, but we can't stay here."

She agreed. Being in the Slytherin dungeon was completely off-limits. And standing here, holding Draco Malfoy's warm, strong hand… it was really the absolute last place she should be, if she wanted to keep her newfound friends.

She turned and left, wordlessly, not looking back until she was at the foot of the narrow staircase. There was the prince in the painting, awake, smirking at her knowingly. He raised one eyebrow, but stayed quiet. His cat raised its head and blinked its huge, green eyes at her. Juliette ran up the stairs toward Gryffindor.


End file.
